The Rekindling
by Original Max A
Summary: Set immediately after the last episode of season two. Sinbad, still in his pirate gear, seems to be a little more at peace with himself as the crew journeys to Basra. In Basra, they reunite with old friends, Bryn learns more about her magic and Sinbad goes through magical boot camp.


This story takes place immediately after the last episode of season 2. Sinbad still dresses like a pirate, but seem a little more at peace with himself. I personally never got a good feel for Bryn's personality (not that she really had one), but however I did try to keep her characterization consistent. Hope everyone likes this. By the way, I know I have made several promises throughout the years to finally finish many of my unfinished stories. Let's just say, I'm working on it. But without further ado, The Rekindling.

-OMA

"Quite a fair wind has bought us back to friendly waters, wouldn't you say, little brother," Doubar exclaimed, hitting Sinbad on the back.

Sinbad coughed, trying to get the wind back in his lungs, "Yes," he wheezed.

"Where are we?" Bryn asked, walking up to the tiller with Dermott on her wrist.

Sinbad pointed to the city on the coastline.

"Basra, a great city, full of friendly faces," Sinbad replied.

"Aye," Doubar agreed, "Sinbad's even friends with the sultan there, Omar."

Bryn smiled, "Friends with a sultan. My, you are popular."

Sinbad laughed lightly, "Doubar exaggerates. The Omar counts the entire crew among his friends, not just me."

"I wonder how he'll take to me, I don't get to meet much royalty," she commented while stroking Dermott's feathers.

"You have a sweet face and kind heart, he'll like you just fine," Doubar assured.

Bryn smiled, "Thanks, Doubar."

Doubar gave a smile of his own.

"Actually, Bryn I wanted to talk to you about that," Sinbad said in a low voice, leading her away from the tiller.

"About what?" she asked.

"I want Doubar and the others to met with Omar, to pay our respects, however, you and I have another mission," he stated.

"We do?" she asked and let Dermott take flight.

Dermott landed on a beam that spanned the ship. Sinbad looked at Dermott for a moment and sat beside him.

"Do you know how Scratch tricked me into going into his lair?" he asked, still staring at Dermott.

"Yes," she replied. Sinbad looked up at her.

"He made you think someone you cared about was in danger," she continued.

"Yes… Maeve."

"Maeve," Bryn repeated, trying to remember how she knew the name, "That's what called me when we first met. Your friend that was taken to be safe from darkness?"

"Yes, that's her. When she was aboard, we made a stop in Basra. She went in search of Capra, a powerful sorceress who lives here… and the wife of my mentor, DimDim."

"You think she would help me?"

"I think she can help both of us. If there is anything our last voyage taught me, it's that the dark forces are growing stronger everyday," he stated and then let his gaze wander to the open sea, "And Scratch… showed me something… something that I do not want to see come to pass," finished Sinbad.

Bryn walked up to Sinbad and touched his cheek, his stubble rubbing against the palm of her hand.

"He is a liar, Sinbad. A master manipulator. You cannot trust anything he showed you," Bryn replied.

Sinbad took her hand in his, "I know. But the best lies are twisted truths. I wasn't always this way."

"What way?" she asked, finally sitting next to him, "You're kind, caring, always willing to help someone in need."

"And even more willing to draw my sword. To kill in anger. To threaten and not give people chance for redemption. I used my sword before, but the way I use it… it's not the same. _I_ am not the same," Sinbad concluded.

Bryn squeeze his hand, "You're still a good man, Sinbad, and a good friend."

Sinbad smiled, "And I plan on staying that way."

Sinbad rose from his seat, "I have to tell Doubar my orders for coming ashore."

Bryn nodded. Sinbad went toward his brother and stopped. He turned back to Bryn.

"Thank you, Bryn," he said softly.

"Anytime, captain," she replied. He nodded and left to seek his brother.

Bryn looked after him for a moment and then turned her attention to Dermott. Dermott flew back on to her wrist.

"Maeve" she asked quietly to the bird, "Who was she?"

Images of a beautiful woman with long red hair filled her mind. She saw her singing with Doubar on the deck of the Nomad. Images of her full-bodied laugher with crew, making jokes at the captain's expense. Bryn also saw Sinbad, but he was a different Sinbad in the one that she knew. With loose clothes that blew in the wind, shorter hair and ready smile, this Sinbad constantly fought and bickered with this woman, Maeve. However no matter how much they fought, there was a lightness, a joy in Sinbad that she had never seen before. Even when she saw them sparring, with swords this time, Sinbad seemed… genuinely happy, younger, more innocent. She also saw the looks that they would give each other when they thought no one was looking.

Then there was Maeve's magic. Fireballs mostly, but this woman also conjured wind, fire and lighting. She was indeed powerful, but she weakened quickly. The last image that Bryn saw was a mighty storm. Sinbad ordered Maeve to tighten down the rigging, but wave after wave crashed down on Maeve until she fell into the sea. Bryn heard Sinbad cry out Maeve's name with so much pain that her entire body tensed at the sound. Sinbad dove into the violent waves without a second thought. The look in his eyes before he dove in confirmed what Bryn had already suspected. Sinbad loved this woman and never had a chance to tell her.

Bryn awoke from her trance to see Firouz patiently waiting for her to finish.

"Firuoz," she said, "You could have awoken me."

"Oh no, my dear," replied the gentle scientist, "I've learned the hard way that it is better to wait for magic to finish, then to force it to stop."

Bryn looked at him, "Maeve?"

"How?" Firouz started.

Bryn leaned her head to Dermott.

Firouz smiled, "Of course. Yes, I woke Maeve from a trance once and, startled, she burned a corner of my favorite shirt."

"Was she that violent?"

"Violent? No. She just wasn't always in control of her magic," Firouz replied.

"Like me?" Bryn asked.

"Yes," Firouz replied and then thought about it, "and no. Maeve once told me that there are those who are born with magic and those who are taught. Maeve was taught, but you, I think you were born with it."

"How do you know?"

Firouz shrugged, "Educated guess. Come on, let's help the others bring the ship in."

Bryn smiled and nodded in agreement. She let Dermott take flight and got to work.

* * *

The crew safely landed in Basra. Doubar, Firouz and Rongar were sent to the sultan's palace both as a gesture of friendship and to inform Omar that they had arrived. Relations between Basra and Baghdad were still a little tense even though both kingdoms had declared peace. Sinbad did not want to be the cause of a new scuffle between the two kingdoms.

Bryn and Dermott followed Sinbad through the market place as he led the search for Capra.

"Are you sure you know where you're going?" asked Bryn as they wandered down endless alleyways and markets.

"No," he replied. Bryn stole a glance at the bird. Dermott lightly squawked as if to say _Yes, he is always like this._ And flew off.

"My gut tells me that we are on the right path," Sinbad finished.

"Your gut?" Bryn replied skeptically.

"Yes, you know, for a sorceress, you really ought to be more trusting," he said dodging a merchant carrying a flapping chicken.

"I…Ow!"

Sinbad stopped and went back to Bryn.

"What's wrong?" he asked, concerned.

Bryn shook her foot, "Nothing. The merchant with the chicken just stepped on my foot."

A warm voice found their ears from the end of the market place, "Well, that's unfortunate."

They both turned to face voice.

"Whose there?" Sinbad demanded, his hand already reaching for his blade.

An older woman with her head wrapped and in flowing silks came into the light.

"Now is that anyway to treat an old friend?" asked Capra.

"I guess not," Sinbad replied and bowed, "It's good to see you."

Capra gently smiled, "And you too, my boy."

Dermott landed on a table nearby. Capra turned to the bird.

"And you look tired too. I know it's hard keeping this one out of trouble," she said to Dermott. Dermott squawked in response.

"Hey!" Sinbad exclaimed, a little offended to be made fun of by bird, even if he was a member of his crew. Bryn laughed softly.

Capra walked up to Bryn and took her hands, "And you must be Bryn."

Capra held her hand in front of Bryn's forehead. A blue light briefly encompassed Capra's hand. Bryn shifted her weight to reach her sword, but Sinbad put his hands up behind Capra, telling Bryn to relax.

"I see," Capra said as she put her hand down.

"What?" Bryn asked, "What did you see?"

"You'll know in due time," she responded cryptically.

"Now," Capra said, "How about we get some aloe for that foot. Sinbad, if you'd been so kind, my bag over there."

Sinbad nodded and lifted Capra's shopping bag, which was a lot heavier than it looked.

"Did you buy rocks today?" he asked, lifting its weight.

Capra batted her hand at him, "Oh, hush, you. I have a lot of mouths to feed tonight."

"Capra, you don't have to—" Sinbad started.

Capra silenced him with a glare. He gulped and smiled.

"Dinner would be lovely," he said.

Bryn looked at him with laughter in her eyes. Sinbad just sighed and followed Capra to her house.

* * *

"Most exhalted sultan, announcing the crew of the Nomad," bellowed a servant throughout the sultan's chamber. Omar, dressed in bright golds and oranges, sat up to greet the men who has saved and served his kingdom on many occasions.

Doubar and the crew smiled at the warm welcome as Omar received them.

"Friends," Omar exclaimed, "what brings you to our shores?"

"A favorable wind, your highness," Firouz quickly responded.

Omar looked them over, "Where is your captain?"

"He had urgent business, Sultan," replied Doubar.

"More urgent than seeing the ruler of this land?" demanded Omar.

Firouz stepped forward, "Your highness, if I may, Sinbad's business was of the…a… female sort. It wouldn't wait. He'll be here as soon as he can."

Omar took a breath, "Ahh, those sort of problems, I am all to familiar with. Come, come, tell me, what is your business in Basra?"

"No business, sir. Just some time to relax with friends," Doubar replied.

Omar let out a mighty laugh.

"Then you have come to the right place. For we are to have a festival on the morrow, celebrating five hundred of Basra's existence," exclaimed the sultan.

"Wow, that is truly impressive," replied Firouz.

"Yes, and I'd love for all of you to join me as my special guests," said Omar.

Doubar laughed, "It would be our pleasure."

"And when do you expect Sinbad to return?" asked the sultan.

"Oh, by the end of the day for sure," Doubar replied. Firouz and Rongar nodded in agreement.

* * *

Bryn, Sinbad and Capra entered her home.

"Now, I want you to put my shopping bag over there and get washed up," Capra ordered.

Sinbad opened his mouth to say something. Bryn put her hand on his arm.

"Everything has its purpose, Sinbad of Baghdad," Capra said without looking at them.

Capra gestured to the table in the middle of the house, "Please."

Sinbad placed the shopping bag on the table as instructed and walked over the washbasin to wash his hands.

Capra took the vegetables out of the bag, "Bryn, could you cut these?"

Bryn looked over her shoulder as she finished washing her hands, "Yes."

"And Sinbad," she started. Sinbad looked up at her.

"Could you catch a few chickens for dinner?" she asked.

Sinbad froze for a moment and then slowly regained his powers of speech, "You want me… to catch a chicken?"

Capra raised an eyebrow at him, "I'm sure the mighty captain of the Nomad can handle a simple domestic chore."

"Of course, but…"

"Then there should be no problem. They're out back," she stated.

"But Capra, I haven't done that since I was a child," he said, trying to reason with her.

Capra smiled, "Then you already have experience. Now, shoo."

Capra waved her hand for Sinbad to go. Sinbad stood there speechless and looked to Bryn for help. She shrugged and waved him a fond farewell. Sinbad let out a brief grunt, but obediently left the house in search of a chicken.

After he left, Capra and Bryn started with the vegetables and spices. Capra watched Bryn work as she cleanly cut the roots and leaves.

"You've done this before, I take it," stated Capra.

Bryn continued cutting, "I don't know."

"Bryn, often the body remembers things that the mind cannot. Your hands move with skill and thus, experience. You must remember that it is your entire body that senses and receives the messages of the universe and of magic itself," Capra said.

"Thank you. I try to keep that in mind, but I have very few memories of my past," Bryn replied with a hint of longing in her voice.

"The past is gone forever. The help you can receive from those memories is powerful, but limited. What matters is what you decide to do in the present," stated Capra.

Bryn turned to face Capra, "But if I can't remember—"

"It will come, child. Listen to what your body is telling you. Throughout this year with Sinbad, you have done many things you didn't know you could, but you've dismissed them because you didn't know how you acquired your skill," Capra stated. Bryn averted her gaze from Capra, acknowledging the truth in her words.

Capra took Bryn's hands, "But it's not your memories, your past, but what you do that defines you. Now, tell me who you are."

"I don't—"

"Tell me who you are," insisted Capra.

Bryn took a breath, "I am…Bryn. I am a member of Sinbad's crew. I am Dermott's friend."

"Come on, you can do better than that. Who are you, Bryn? What does your body and soul tell you?" asked Capra.

Bryn closed her eyes and started again, "I am…a fighter. I am strong and magical."

The center of Bryn's chest started to glow in a brilliant yellow light.

"Good," Capra encouraged, "What else?"

"I am a survivor," Bryn said, as flashes of her surviving danger after danger came into her mind, "I am clever. I am good and I care for others."

The light expanded from her chest to her fingertips and down to her thighs.

"Keep going, Bryn," Capra instructed.

"I help people. I feel what they feel. I am-"

The light reached Bryn's head and her entire body glowed with light.

"I am… an empath?" she said and opened her eyes. Slowly the light faded from her body.

"What happened?" she asked Capra.

Capra smiled, "Your first lesson. The first rule of magic is that you must have faith. You must believe that your heart is strong enough to be a conduit of the powers around you. Your mind maybe a mystery to you, Bryn, but your heart is not."

Capra took Bryn's hand, put it over Bryn's heart and looked at her in the eye, "Your heart and your soul are sources of great power."

Capra smiled, "By the way, how is that foot of yours?"

Bryn lifted her foot and shifted it from side to side. She wiggled her toes and stretched and flexed her foot.

She looked back at Capra in wonder, "It's all better."

"Sorceress, heal thyself," Capra said and then walked to her vegetables

"Come, Sinbad and my husband should be back soon," she said and continued to prepare dinner.

"Your husband?" Bryn asked, "Master DimDim?"

Capra just smiled and continued her work.


End file.
